Tully Lake
Part of the system for flood control of the Connecticut River
The Tully Lake is a reservoir on the territory of the town Royalston, Massachusetts in the United States. It was built in the mid 20th century by the United States Army Corps of Engineers ( USACE ) and serves mainly to stem from flooding during heavy rainfalls, but is also used for leisure and recreational purposes.
Function of flood control
The 1,262 acres (5.1 km ² ) area of extensive lake was designed as part of the system for flood control of the Connecticut River and from 1947 to 1949 for a total of 1.6 million U.S. dollars ( equivalent to a present value of about 17,340 .000 dollars) built. Even before its final completion, it was successfully used to limit the flood of New Year 1949.
In April 1987, fell during two storms good 6 in (152.4 mm) of precipitation, leaving the level of the lake to more than 35 ft ( 10.7 m) rise at the dam. Despite this large amount of rain, the lake was filled at this time only to 62 %. The USACE estimates that the lake has alone in this case prevents damage in the amount of $ 3,000,000 or $ 25.6 million since its commissioning.
Flora and Fauna
The management of the lake and its surroundings is designed to ensure a healthy ecosystem and the great biodiversity of the Tully River Valley with its forests, wetlands, water bodies and wild stocks and maintain it. Nearby, by the organization The Trustees of Reservations as protected areas managed attractions such as waterfalls Doane 's Falls, Spirit Falls and Royalston Falls and the Jacobs Hill regularly attract visitors and tourists and are interconnected via marked trails.
In addition to the Trustees also working on the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, which performs, for example, selective tree felling to make way for young forest, to the specific animal species - especially willows Yellowthroat, catbirds, song sparrows, Yellow-crowned Warbler and Gold Warbler - rely for protection search, brooding or rearing young animals. So a 11 acres ( 4.5 ha) large stock of Weymouth pine was south of the lake cleared for these reasons.
Although the dam of the lake was completed in 1949, was what we today Tully Lake in 1966 and since then offers anglers the opportunity to largemouth bass, chain pike, American perch, sunfish, catfish and bream catch. Around the lake live a wide variety of different animal species, ranging from small insects and singing birds to large mammals such as red deer and moose. Although the reservoir at full capacity (4.6 km ²) can flood an area of 1,140 acres, it is used normally as a habitat for wildlife and public recreation area.
54 % of the area of the lake consists of wetlands, the fish, waterfowl, songbirds, insects, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals such as beavers, otters and mink provide habitat. In the other areas, especially red deer, coyote, fisher marten, owls, foxes, raccoons, skunks, porcupines, rabbits and squirrels live. The forest around the lake consists mainly of Weymouth pine trees that grew on newly abandoned in the 19th century fields.
More than 700 acres (2.8 km ²) of wetlands are also used for cleaning the water of toxins and sediments as well as to slow or mitigation of floods. In an isolated kettle hole near the Tully Lake is a spruce bog rain. In the areas of the spillway grow alongside cranberries also sundew and other carnivorous plants.
In the environment of the dam foundations and other remains of houses, mills or a church can still be found, which give clues to the former use of this area as agricultural and industrial land. The signposted trail " An Ordinary Story" leads from the parking lot past some of these ruins.
Recreation
The lake and its surroundings offer ideal conditions for extensive and extended activities. Around the lake is a 4 mi ( 6.4 km ) long trail, which is part of the 22- mi ( 35.4 km ) Tully Trail is significantly longer and the Doane 's Falls binds to the lake. The Tully Trail connects to the protected areas of the Trustees of Reservations The Ledges, Jacobs Hill and Royalston Falls, the forest areas Royalston State Forest and Warwick State Forest and the Tully Mountain a variety of attractions.
Sports
For mountain bikers, a separate, 7.5 is mi ( 12.1 km ) long road is available, which also offers special landscape impressions, but very demanding and therefore not suitable for beginners.
The lake can be explored that can be rented if needed on site with canoes, kayaks or small motor boats (up to 10 hp). Since 2003 is a disc -golf course available, which was extended in 2006 to 18 holes. On the lake is fishing, also allows hunting in the vicinity of the lake. For this, appropriate licenses are possibly to acquire.
In the lake there is no designated area for swimmers, but swimming is explicitly permitted. Even in winter, offer themselves around the lake a variety of recreational activities.
Tully Lake Campground
The Tully Lake Campground is a campground near the lake. It is owned by the USACE, is managed by the Trustees of Reservations. It is open between the U.S. holidays Memorial Day and Labor Day, and every day until Columbus Day on the weekends.